Swordsmaster
by Gray Jedi 4000
Summary: Ahsoka has always been strange. But someone even stranger is about to come...
1. Chapter 1

**Okay! I have finally decided to get some of the docs I have just lying around out into the limelight! This is one of them - a very AU version of Star Wars.**

Hi, my name's Ahsoka. I'm the daughter of a nobleman, and I've always been a little bit of an oddball.

First, there's the small matter of me not having a mother. My father, Baron Tano, found me in a strange craft in the woods outside the manor, and with me, a small piece of something that had a moving image on it. "The lines and dots on had moved," my father had said, "until there was a simple sentence on the front-her name is Ahsoka." My father had brought me in and nursed me to health. He also brought the strange craft and the small, rectangular object in, too. I've seen them multiple times-they are my most precious possessions. They are hints to who I really am.

Second, there's my appearance. I have a normal face shape with normal proportions, but that's not what people first notice about me. What they notice is that I have orange skin and weird tail-like thingies instead of hair. Three of them. And they're patterned with white and blue stripes. And horns, which are parts of the same structure as the hair-tails.

My father wants me to be married off to a rich man, so he gave me tutors. In what subjects, you may ask? Well, in all the subjects he could think of. My days were packed with older men and women teaching me to read, to do math, to negotiate, to draw. Every night, I would lie down on my bed after a little free time, trying to sort out all the facts the tutors had stuffed into my brain, then falling asleep. Sometimes, on the rare days that one of my tutors was sick, during the time I would have had that subject, I would be on my own. I would go outside and call to friends of mine, long past the surprise stage. Some of them would come, and we would go out to the woods and play for a while. When it was time for my next subject to be taught, my father would ride on his horse to call for me. I always hated leaving my friends.

But one day, instead of being let out into the woods to play when my writing teacher was sick, I was brought to the main lounge to meet someone.

"Swordsmaster, this is Ahsoka."

"This is the one you told me about?"

"Yes, sir. She knows much more than you would expect, and can be very ladylike when she wants to be."

"I am not interested in _ladylike,_ Baron Tano. I am interested in physically adept possible apprentices."

I decided to speak up. After all, I am my own person. "Well, then, good for you. I'm not all that interested in ladylike, either." I say the last with just a hint of venom.

He whirled around and glared at me with fierce eyes. I realized that he wasn't surprised to see my inhuman features. That was _definitely_ a first. Perhaps my father already described me in great detail to him, and I just fulfilled his expectations. More likely I just missed the moment of surprise. But what if… I refused to let the thought finish. There was no way it was possible.

There was no way.

The Swordsmaster looked me over with a scrutinizing eye. I tried desperately to remember his name, to remember if I had ever been taught about him. Nothing came up.

Then, a small memory.

I was in history class. I had asked the tutor whether we had special protectors.

 _What about other soldiers? Like, special ones?_

 _Hush, child. Before he hears you._

 _Who?_

He had bent over close, whispering in my ear.

 _The Swordsmaster._

 _Who's that?_

 _No. Do not speak of him. You do not want his attention._

 _Why not?_

 _He is a sorcerer, capable of plucking the thoughts from your head and moving objects without touching them. He knows when someone says his name. He will destroy all who offend him. Hush, and do not speak of this._

I had relented and banished all thoughts of him from my mind.

Until now.

For someone who was supposed to be an omnipotent sorcerer, he didn't look like it. Dark blonde hair, messily tied back, was encircled by a black strip of cloth, also tied back. He wore black armor, modified to fit his lean, tall frame. His most distinguishing feature was a small scar over one eye. Everything about him-his posture, his clothing, the scar-screamed _warrior._ Not sorcerer. Not someone who hides behind magic and lets things be done for him.

Nevertheless, I refuse to let my fear show through. I straighten my spine even further, staring him in the eye. His icy blue eyes clash with my eyes, a warmer shade, and, for a split second, something locks in us both. Locks us together.

Locks us as - almost - brother and sister.

Then he laughs. It's a small laugh, but deep.

"She's a strong one. I'll take her."

My adoptive father shifts uncomfortably. I realize that the Swordsmaster must have forced him to let him see me somehow.

I need to find his motives. "Why me?"

"Hmm?"

"Why me? There are plenty of able-bodied _boys_ out there." The mention of men is enough to make my upper lip curl in disgust.

"I'm not interested in boys. I'm interested in _you._ Now come. You'll need to pack - but just the essentials."

"What?"

"Can't you see? You are my new apprentice."


	2. Chapter 2

"We're almost there!" I heard Skyguy - as I had secretly termed the Swordsmaster when I learned his name was Anakin Skywalker - say in a sing-song voice. I had to resist the urge to hit him upside the head several times already, and my nerves were so grated already the urge came again.

"Hip hip hooray. Let's just get this moving in stage over with." My irritation shows in my voice.

"You know, you're going to have to get used to traveling if you want to become a Swordsmaster..."

I give in to the urge.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"That was for annoying me to heck. What did you think?!"

"Language. I thought you were the daughter of a baron."

" _Adopted_ daughter. Honestly, what did you think?"

"I'd tell you what I think, but you'll have to find it out yourself."

That snapped me out of my gloom. _He knows something._

"Give me a hint," I say, studying the young man. I am _not_ about to let some stuffed up 'special soldier' stand in the way of finding out - _finally! -_ where I came from.

"Sorry, can't."

Slowly, I reach for a dagger, concealed in a thigh pocket in my loose pants. Slowly, I take it out. Slowly, I come to a crouch, standing on my saddle. Then, quick as lightning, I jumped from my saddle onto his, holding the recently sharpened dagger to his throat.

Oh, I forgot to mention. I have superhuman abilities.

"Tell me everything you know," I hissed into his ear.

Calmly, much more calmly than he should have been, he pushed away the dagger I was holding and answered, "Again, you'll have to find it out yourself."

I almost blow at this point. "I _am_ trying to find out for myself. I'm asking you."

"Yes, well, you'll have to try another source."

"What other source?"

"I am not at liberty to tell."

"You're a freaking Swordsmaster!"

"Being a Swordsmaster isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Well then, I wish I hadn't signed up!" Sarcasm is heavy in my voice. I _really_ want to kill him now. I jump back to my horse.

"It's still pretty cool, though. We just can't share our secrets with outsiders."

 _I'll be no outsider,_ I think. _Not after I steal every secret from his mind._ I almost smile at this. There is no way, not in the world, that Skyguy knows my mental capabilities. Slowly, I stretch out mentally, not giving anything away physically.

His mind is a solid wall.

I can't understand it. I've seen shielding before - in most of my father's friends - but never like this. He's _intentionally_ shielding his mind, in a way that could only mean he has the same powers. But that's impossible. I'm the only one.

Unless…

No. No way.

But then, he never showed any surprise at me…

No. Nu-uh. No possible way in the entire world.

"Hey, Snips. Look alive. People up ahead." _Did he just call me_ Snips?

I straighten up and swing my legs over. Skyguy had told me that I should probably ride sidesaddle, to avoid protests that he was carrying me off on a scandal. But if he was, I'd be actually attacking him.

Riding sidesaddle on a saddle that wasn't meant for it is _hard_. You try it. But nevertheless, I pull it off, reining my horse in to a modest trot, Skyguy doing the same. The people murmur in fear as we ride by, cowed by the stern face Anakin put on. He's quite the actor, I must admit. But, then again, so am I. I plaster the same expression on my face. The people shrink back in half fear, half awe, as their 'special soldiers' ride by. I really wish I could tell them the truth- _Hey guys, did you know the Swordsmaster is a total jerk?_ -but then Skyguy would kill me for real.

Finally, we get out of the town, and I swing my leg back over. Oh, that's better. I breathe out a sigh of relief.

"So, what's the plan? Work me like a slave until I break?" Sarcasm is heavy in my voice. Seems to be getting more common.

Skyguy looks back at me, surprised. "What? No."

"Then what is the plan?"

He smiles, and in that moment, he looks positively _evil._ "You'll see."


End file.
